BYU has never opened a season with a true freshman starting quarterback.
Until now.
When Bear Bachmeier takes his first snap against Portland State on Aug. 30, he will make history as the first-ever Week 1 true freshman starting QB for the Cougars.
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While they didn’t begin the season as QB1 like Bachmeier will, seven other players have previously started at quarterback for BYU as true freshmen, experiencing all sorts of highs and lows in the process. Here are their stories.
Drew Miller (1997)
BYU’s quarterback Drew Miller runs to avoid a defender during Saturday’s game between BYU and Murray State, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, at Cougar Stadium. | Chuck Wing, Deseret News
With the two quarterbacks ahead of him on BYU’s depth chart both injured, Drew Miller was called upon to start for the Cougars in a road matchup against UTEP.
The contest ended up being quite historic — for even more than just marking the first time BYU started a true freshman at QB.
The Cougars fell 14-3, failing to score a touchdown for the first time in 138 games. The last time BYU had been held touchdown-less before then was 1986.
Miller completed 17 of 32 passes for 226 yards but threw three interceptions, including one that was returned for a UTEP touchdown.
It would be Miller’s only start as a Cougar. He backed up Kevin Feterik in 1998 before transferring out of Provo and landing at Montana, where he was a first-team Division II All-American in 1999 and 2000 and racked up 6,449 yards and 47 touchdowns for the Grizzlies.
Despite the loss in his lone start and never getting much other playing time at BYU, Miller still has nothing but love for the Cougars.
“I played for some legendary coaches at…
Source link : https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/08/20/byu-true-freshman-qbs-over-the-years/
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Publish date : 2025-08-21 03:00:00
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